flyleft, that's inspiring--I've been on the fence about purchasing the materials to do this on my own for months now!! Did you mount yours on the wall behind the bed or attach it to the bed frame? Thanks,

Michelle

I made one for our queen, several months ago. It was not easy, for several reasons, but then it wasn't a straightforward design either. clt3 gave me some very helpful instructions. Haven't seen clt around, but here's a shout out: Thank you!

It makes a huge difference. The bed has presence. We wall mounted it; DH had to locate the wall studs and he made keyhole brackets in the back of the board, flush with the wood. I'll see about posting a pic later.

I have an upholstered bed from PB called The Evans Bed. I'ts made my Mitchel Gold. They no longer manufacture it. I bought 2 years ago as a floor model. We love it especially for reading and watching TV in bed. Ours is microsuede.
They have an Evans Nailhead Bed which is kind of similar except mine does not have nailheads and it's straigt across the top. I attached a picture of their current version.

Here is a link that might be useful: Evans Bed

I had an upholstered headboard made when I moved into this house. Also ordered a parson's bench to match. While I'm not crazy about the proportions of the bench (I was very new at the whole decorating thing) it does anchor the bed in the space and leave a spot for the quilt or laundry or whatever.

I never attached mine to the bed or the wall. It is just propped between the two and does not budge. Very heavy.

The original fabric was a crewel in jewel tones on an impossible-to-work-with beige ground. I became so frustrated trying to find bedding to coordinate, I eventually had it redone in a much more versatile stripe that reads as a solid from afar. The legs and interior portion (which is also padded) are made from some kind of woven raffia.

The padded headboard makes reading in bed very comfortable.

Not a great image of a v. simple headboard (queen-sized) we made four years ago or so (it's now up in the guest bedroom -- after having our second child we realized we needed a king-size!).

It couldn't have been easier. We got a piece of peg board from Home Depot (cut to size), a big piece of foam from a foam store and batting from the fabric store. With a stapler we went to work and it took us maybe 45 minutes (this included a break for yelling at each other).

I was thinking of making another one for our bigger bed, but this time I think I want tufting. My husband said "no problem, we can do it ourselves!" But no, I think I'll just go through Ballard Designs using my own fabric. (let's say I'm not confident in our tufting abilities)

Thanks all for your thoughts. I've been on the fence about this one and have just about decided to do it for sure. It started with a trip to look at beds this weekend which was my Valentine's day present. Well, I was ready to order a beautiful bed made by FFDM but then finally the price started to bug me, since it is essentially a wood framed upholstered headboard. I'll try to post it here

http://www.ffdm.com/product_furniture_app/621_267_fpo.jpg

I know, I know, it is gorgeous but a beautiful upholstered headboard would be over $1K less, and I could choose a fabric I want. So I checked with my wonderful upholsterer and really think I'm going to have him make me one and use the remaining $$$ on a new rug or something else for the room.

Anyway, he can do it mid March, so I've got some time to work on it. What do you all think??

I'd love any other "testamonials" and I will keep you posted....

Ok, I see the photo itself didn't make it into the post. Sorry, but I guess I need lessons on that.

We've made a couple and upholstered them in a cheap muslin or sheeting material and then sewed basic slipcovers (think "pillowcase") in more expensive fabrics (usually with a cheaper fabric on the back to save money). The reason we opted for slipcovered vs. upholstered is I saw several upholstered headboards at thrift/consignment/outlet stores that were visibly stained by body or head oils (EWW!) plus we liked the idea of just being able to launder it occassionally.

Our frame was a simple rectangle design with 2x4's, a plywood sheet, and batting. We didn't even use foam just gobs of thick batting which we found plenty cushy.

Do an internet search and you can find plenty of "how to's" on the topic. That's what we did and then modified a bit to fit our quirks. :)

Good luck!

I have been wanting to make one for my son's room. I want to make him a black vinyl one with buttons, tufted I guess. He has lots of black in his room and I'm hoping it will encourage him to sit up against it and read at night. Plus I figured you can wipe off vinyl. Maybe this thread will get me motivated to start. It's just so cold in my garage right now,(Iowa) I'm having a hard time getting motivated to go out there for tools. Isn't that awful?

Here's the one I made. I mispoke above, this is for a double in the guest BR. I based the design on a Restoration Hardware headboad. I wanted the "banding" or border which required more cuts and stapling, and I had to have mitered corners and piping. I would say the mitered corners were the most difficult. I really didn't know what I was doing, so I winged it. The piping was tricky too. I meant to jot down "lessons learned" and how I would do it differently, but I didn't. Now I can't remember much, lol. I actually think tufting would be easier. I may do that for our master.

(In a perfect world you wouldn't want those puckers at top.)

I bought a piece of foam for a twin bed mattress from Penneys and used that as well as quilt batting. It's fairly cushy.

{{!gwi}}

mqmoi,amy, rmkitchen, those are all beautiful. mqmoi and rm, I can't believe you made those. I may get brave and try it although I love my upholsterer and already told him to plan on it. Either way, I'm getting more inspired all the time...

Has anyone had these for any length of time? I'm wondering if these would end up on the 'nice to look at but ' list. How does the fabric hold up with resting, say, one's head/hair or bare shoulders/back against it. That would be a consideration for me.

I like the look, but also wanted something substantial, so I went for a combo of wood and upholstery.

I bought the full bed, though, and not just the headboard. I hate it when the blankets fall off the end of the bed, so I needed to have a foot board.

{{!gwi}}

jjam, I took at the look at the one you URLed. Very sweet! Like a valentine. This will require some carpentry skills for the frame. I imagine your loving carpenter will enjoy making it. I like the dark wood/light fabric contrast very much.

jeannine, your sweet dog looks kind of guilty - what did he/she do? ha.

Aw, Baxter's the king of having sad eyes. He's a sweet, little boy.

Indulge me...I'm going to post two pics of him. One from the other day and one from the day I met him back in August.

Sad eyes, perfected at 8 weeks

Ive been looking all over for this upholstered/wood frame combo and can't find anything like it.

that dog is adorable, sad eyes and all; I don't think I would be able to refuse anything to that face................

Mqmoi - Good job. Glad I could be of assistance!

Squirrel raised a question that I'm also wondering about; how do these headboards hold up? One reason I'm hesitating about the bed made by FFDM is that it has a light fabric headboard and will still cost $$$. I started thinking about it and wondered if I'd be looking at a worn and dirty headboard in a few years, and at the price of the bed, it should be considered an investment to last a long time. My upholsterer can build one with a similar shape if I want but not framed in wood, but for $1K less. I'm going fabric shopping today and will definitely have "wear" in mind. Anyone who has had one of these, I'd love to know how they hold up. Thanks.

jeanninepc99, LOVE your bed! May I ask where you purchased it from? It looks similar to the Chris Madden bed at JCP. I was wondering how dark the wood was because I want it to go with my bedroom cherry furniture. Thanks!

I just ordered swatches for an upholstered headboard at JCPenney. It is on sale for $279 + s/h.
I also found someone on ebay with terrific feedback that you can send them YOUR fabric and they will make one for you. A queen size tufted is 375 + 100 s/h. A plain arched one is 280 + 100 s/h.

Here is a link that might be useful: ebay custom headboard

here's the link for the jcp headboard...
BTW - that puppy is ADORABLE!!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: jcp upholstered headboard

I've been telling DH I wanted to do this in our Master bedroom also. We have a head and foot board and I'm ready for something different. We painted the room an dark sage green and while the hand-me-down furniture looks good, I'd love to with something different and a tad lighter. I found directions at JoAnne's in their fabric department for making a custom headboard. When ready, I'll be using it for my sample.

Christy

That pup is too cute. Sorry, I don't have upholstered headboards as they would be mistaken for scratching posts!LOL

buffy, I see I am coming back late to this thread--such great pics and wealth of experience! Like amy, I have not gotten around to attaching the headboard--it's squished between the wall and the bed and is serving just fine like that...maybe someday I'll make it an honest headboard and attach it to something :)

jeannine, what a dear heart Baxter is.

brutuses, I feared that too but *nothing* so far--fingers crossed.

jjam, I'm basically resigned to the idea that the headboard will need a slipcover in a few years.

jjam, mine has held up beautifully. Probably because the center part is covered with something pretty resilient...that rattan stuff, or whatever it is. I know that wouldn't necessarily be the right style for everyone, but it goes with my Tommy Bahama furniture (mildly tropical looking) and I am in FL.

I think the kind of fabric you use will make all the difference...color, composition, etc. Maybe you should look at those poly micro suedes. They come in a gajillion colors. I have pale aqua dining chairs in the microsuede, one of which survived an attack of tomato soup. Cleaned up perfectly.

There are also many nice options in indoor/outdoor fabrics these days. That has been discussed on another thread here in the last few days.

I would also think that if you keep large (I have euro shams) pillows behind you, you'll keep your head off the headboard and limit the oil, dirt, etc. Not that I think you head is oily or dirty! ;-)

Mqmoi, I love your "wrapped" pillows.

Jeannine, that dog is such a sweetie! I'm in love...

Here's a picture of the vintage upholstered headboard I am having redone for my bedroom. I plan to have it reupholstered in a toile, and may add tufting. It will be mounted higher than shown (much of it is hidden behind a tall mattress) and attached to the wall. I purchased this on Ebay a couple of years ago. (mrslimestone, the headboard you posted is probably an antique/vintage which is why you may be having difficulty locating one. You could try Ebay. Also Horchow sells some newer versions of this style, I believe.)

My bed IS from the Chris Madden/JC Penny line. I had NO idea they had furniture until I was on the HGTV message boards and kept seeing people talking about buying things from "JCP".

Growing up, the JC Penny near me was dumpy and run down...we never went there. Everyone on the HGTV boards assured me that the quality was good and I have to say that I'm very pleased with what arrived.

The bed is still propped up against the wall because I haven't done my painting yet. It's my busy season at work, but things are winding down. I'll post a pic when the painting is done and the bed is set up!

teeda - I love your headboard! Im sure it will be stunning when its finished.

Having just had a tiny chair reupholstered, I can't imagine investing in anymore furniture that needs the same attention. It was so outrageously expensive!!

FYI: I have a JCP tufted headboard (in guest room). Ive never had one before so I don't know how this one compares but I would never guess it came from JCP if I hadn't ordered it myself. It looks just like the ones Ive seen from higher end shops.

Teeda and Jeanine, your beds are both beautiful. Teeda, please update us when yours is finished. My DH pretty much ordered me to go ahead and get the FFDM bed today. He knows how I love to let a project drag on! I was ready to just go with the headboard made by my upholsterer but DH actually said he really liked the other bed better and didn't think the price difference was that big of a deal. So of course I had to run with it. I ordered it today and who knows when it will arrive; probably some time in 2009, but at least it's done and no more angst over it. Thanks all for your ideas. Now I am inspired to do an upholstered headboard by myself; maybe for the guest room.

jjam, you lucky girl! That bed is gorgeous! If it was my DH, he'd say go ahead and get it, but he would be looking for something in return, IYKWIM! Oops! Sorry!
jeanninepc99, What is the material like on the headboard? It looks like a creamy white. Just thinking of cleaning! But, I guess with pillows propped up in front, it wouldn't get THAT dirty! One more question, how is the padding? Were you pleasantly surprised? If you've answered "yes" to these questions, then I might have to take a trip to the JCP website! Thankyou!

My concern about an upholstered headboard would be this....they will get extremely dirty. I don't necessarily mean your average dust bunnies, but what about things like hair products, scalp oils and even sweat. We had an antique iron bed at one time and eventually the wall behind it became very filthy due to hair products, sweat, and oils that are on your head. Your pillow doesn't always serve as a deterrent. I see an upholstered headboard becoming a sponge for body oils! I thought this only happened to us until a friend who had no headboard told me she had to re-paint the wall behind her bed due to the same issue. Might be something to consider. You can't just take that headboard cover and toss it in the wash.

I think that the eventual soiling is really part of the deal with these. If you like the look, you just work with it. The bed I ordered also has a light fabric on the headboard and I'm sure we'll eventually re-upholster it. But oh my it is gorgeous. We also have large Euroshams that will sit against it all the time, so hopefully that will help. I wish I knew how to post the photo from the FFDM website here so y'all could see it!

Oh, and kmcg, your DH sounds exactly like mine....

I've had my mine for 2 yrs and have not had any issues with them getting dirty.

I am so LOL at Kmcg!! Mine, too!! But, small price to pay for such a gorgeou headboard, Jjam!! I am so happy for you. Please, please post pics when you get it. Maybe I'll hit Victoria Secret's for some help in my persuasion:) with my DH for an upholstered headboard.

All gorgeous headboards and what a cutie doggie, too.

Smiles:)

I thought I would post the headboard that we just made although now I think we should have done chocolate brown...oh, well. It was easy to make. Hubby made a frame and then we staped the foam padding to it then batting on top and then the material and voila!

I want this headboard! From the movie, "Spanglish".
{{!gwi}}

Here is a great site for headboards. But I'm still looking for one like above! It dosen't look like it should be hard to find. I like the gentle curve. For the life of me, I can't find one like it! :(

Here is a link that might be useful: Headboards

Kmcg, I love the one you posted! Have you thought of taking the photo to an upholsterer and having one made? It shouldn't be that costly, and you'd get just what you want.

Here's the one I ordered:

{{!gwi}}

Beautiful jjam. Here's more at Calico Corners.

Here is a link that might be useful: CC

I've been following this thread with interest because I want a tufted headboard but am afraid it will get stained from hair gels, oils, etc. (Even with large pillows or shams, I think DH's head will still lean against the tufted section.)

I think I'll look into the micro suedes suggested above. Alternatively, does anyone know whether tufted leather is less likely to show stains?

jjam-would you share where your bed came from? My bed is similar and I need nightstands and a dresser and am having a tough time finding something.

Thanks!

mkrzy, great job on your headboard. I wish I were so handy. I like the white; you can always recover it with something else later.

bebe, the bed is from a company called Fine Furniture. Their website is www.FFDM.com. We ordered ours from Boyles furniture in Mocksville, NC. The whole collection is beautiful and on sale right now.

meg, I'm no expert on this but the leather would seem the most durable. You could always buy a piece of the microfiber and test it out. I'm just throwing caution to the wind with the fabric on mine but i do have three huge pillows that will probably always be there; we keep them in back of our sleeping pillows at night.

Good News, the bed I ordered is actually in the warehouse!!!

This is the closest I could find to my "Spanglish" headboard above. At just under $500 for a king it might be the one!
{{!gwi}}

kmcg,

I love that headboard! Care to divulge where you found it?

We need something very high because the master bedroom ceiling is vaulted, or coped, or whatever it's called. The designer picked out two upholstered headboards but I can't find her paperwork. My memory is that the price was much, much higher than what others have discussed on this board.

Thanks for this thread!

Thanks so much jjam-I'll take a look! That bed is beautiful. Did you order any other pieces in the collection? If not, what will you do for bedside tables?

Thanks!

This is my favorite upholstered bed. But pricey!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{!gwi}}

Hi meg! It is the Camden Headboard from Ballard's. It is shown above in the Caramel Twill. I just sent for swatches of the twill above and the Camel Velvet. The only thing is, it does not have legs! It must be mounted to the wall, hardware NOT included! Imagine that! But it is the closest to the look I'm after. Yes, you can find headboards MUCH more expensive!

Bebe, I'm just replacing my bed for now. My dressers and night tables are staying, at least for the moment. The only thing that might be replaced would be my night tables but I'll wait and see how it looks when the bed gets here. The pieces that go with the bed are very nice IRL, especially the ones with the stone tops.